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 12 JANUARY 1945 - Captain Clarence L. "Solie" Solander, pilot of "Playmate 41", departed Morotai
at 0450 for Baliango Point, Northern Mindanao and searched the area at 04°00'N, 125°10'E
where red flares had been sighted. Visibility was very low and the search was negative. At
1020, he sighted the target which was cleared by all ships by 1115. Captain Solander
proceeded to Dipolog and landed at 1200 where he received a report that a B-24 crew was
down at Sindangan with six injured men. At 1245 Captain Solander left Dipolog with Major
Lunas, a Philippine Medical Officer, and departed for Sindangan, arriving at 1315. After
being directed to the survivors by a red flare, Captain Solander elected to land in a
heavy sea and took the injured survivors aboard where they were given medical
treatment by Major Lunas. The uninjured were left at Sindangan with instructions to
proceed to Dipolog. During the transfer of the injured from the shore to the rescue ship,
the radar operator Sgt Roach, sustained a fracture of his left thumb. Take-off was
successful at 1500. However, the junction box on one of the floats was damaged which
prevented it from being raised. Captain Solander landed at Dipolog at 1620 and remained
overnight. The uninjured men left in the plane with Major Lunas who attended them and
administered plasma and restoratives. The float was repaired and they departed Dipolog.
The flight to Morotai was uneventful and upon landing at 1310, the injured survivors were
transferred by waiting ambulances to the 155th Station Hospital. The stranded crews were
returned to their respective commands.
The pilot of the ill-fated
B-24 stated that while returning from a mission, his fuel was almost exhausted and he was
forced to ditch his plane near Sindangan. All of the crew escaped but six were injured,
three seriously. The survivors were as follows: 1Lt Alfred St. John Jr., 2Lt Alfred Bertin, Cpls
Sherwood P. Jones, W.R. Mathis, Royce A. Tasker and Pvt R.L. Berkel, all members of the
372nd Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Group.
The passengers picked up at Dipolog were as
follows: 1Lt Oliver D. Lilley Jr., Sgt Thomas
J. Croke of the 38th Bomb Group, 1Lt Paul D. Thompson, T/Sgt Richard N. O'shea, S/Sgt
Frank D. Martund, S/Sgt Vernon H. Jackson and S/Sgt Raymond S. Power of the 5th Group.
AIRCRAFT: OA-10A 44-33??? CALLSIGN: "PLAYMATE
41" CREW: (P) Cpt Clarence L. Solander
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